Firstly Are you accredited?YES

Why do I need to carry out Thermal Imaging?

The Electricity at Work Regulations of 1989 places a “duty of care” on employers and landlords to maintain electrical systems to prevent danger where otherwise it may exist. In many cases traditional inspection and test work is not feasible; where supplies are impossible to isolate such as hospitals, prisons, factories etc. Whilst it is imperative to carry out as much inspection and test work as possible, thermal imaging is an effective way of determining the presence of potential problems within the electrical distribution system without the need to isolate circuits. Images can be taken of key connections and switchgear and along with visual inspections and live testing can form a means to meeting your obligations under legislation.

Who is responsible?

Realistically, everybody has a duty to ensure the safety of others whilst at work; however, the Duty Holder will have ultimate responsibility for electrical safety. If nobody at your place of work is clear on who that is, then the responsibility falls on the most senior person. It is important to know who has the responsibility for safety and welfare of staff in order to establish that compliance is achieved.

What does it involve?

Thermal Imaging involves an Engineer visiting your premises armed with a powerful camera that uses infra-red technology to detect heat. Most electrical parts that are damaged or ready to fail will generate heat; the camera will detect excessive heat in relation to the ambient temperature which will alert the engineer to a potential problem. The engineer will be trained to recognise whether the heat is sufficient to warrant further investigation, upon which the client will be notified. Generally speaking, thermal images can be taken by simply removing the cover or barrier to a piece of electrical distribution equipment, and does not require isolation.

Who should do the work?

It is vital that this type of work is carried by a qualified and experienced test Engineer. Such Engineers are generally fully qualified electricians who have experience of test and inspection, and have been trained and qualified in thermal imaging work specifically. When selecting your contractor, you should ask to see evidence of their qualifications and experience in this type of work.

Will it impact on my workplace?

In theory there should be no impact whatsoever other than an Engineer being present on site visiting each key electrical location. Providing you communicate with the engineer and provide access to each location, there will be no impact and your business will not be affected.

What will I receive?

Upon completion of a thermal imaging survey you should receive a report that details the following:

Installation details and characteristics

Schedule of items tested and inspected

A thermal image and standard digital image of piece of equipment surveyed

Recommendations for any further investigation required along with an explanation

If you are not a technical person, then your contractor should be pleased to talk through your report with you and advise you of any further action required.

How much will it cost?

Thermal Imaging is charged using a day rate which can be anywhere between £260 and £2000 dependant on location, access, time and volume of images taken. An engineer can comfortably survey 50 pieces of equipment in a day, providing access is arranged.

What could happen if I don’t do it?

There are many reasons not to do electrical testing and inspections, such as cost, inconvenience, or lack of knowledge. However none of these reasons will be accepted as a defence in the event that an accident or fire occurs. Aside from the threat of prosecution in the event of injury or death, surely the safety of your colleagues, employees, patients or belongings are reason enough to test and inspect electrical systems at work.

For a full list of accreditations and their relevance, please see our accreditations page.

Do you have any testimonials?

We can provide testimonials and references from well established companies and satisfied clients.

Q: Do I need to shut down my equipment to do this inspection?A: We can not shut down the facility in order to carry out a thermographic inspection.

Fully loaded is the optimum for an infrared inspection . A poor electrical connection generates heat that can cause power loss at the connection. The higher the current flow, the more power will be dissipated.

Q: Is a hot spot bad?A: A hot terminal connection affects your system in various ways:

1- Power loss:

You are paying extra in your electrical bill for all hot connections. The electrical meter does not care where the power is going, whether to turn a motor or heat the air. Therefore a hot connection reduces plant efficiency.

2- Failure

Most damage occurs when the electrical connection actually fails. The arc that is caused when the connections separate will melt most metals. A connection that would have cost $200 in parts and labor to repair before failure could cost the owner in excess of $500,000 if it goes to failure.

3- Fires

caused by the failure of the connection can, and have, destroyed an entire complex.

Q: Aren’t all electrical connections hot?A: Any electrical system normally operates at a temperature slightly above ambient; in some cases well above ambient. Problem connections are in excess of these temperatures.

Q: Why is it hot?

A: All electrical connections and even straight runs of cable offer resistance to current flow.
This resistance is a system power loss that is dissipated as heat. This is normal.
The electrical connection that is as little as .5 degrees celsius hotter than the others can be
detected.

Q: Our equipment is new. There is no reason to check it, is there?A: Unfortunately, age has no relationship to hot connections. Poor initial installation has been the cause of many failures.